Cheers: The Malones Sam and Diane's Anniversary
by vodkarocks
Summary: This story is a continuation of an earlier story called Cheers:The Malones. Not being satisfied with the finale in 1993, I have chosen to write a sequel to the series. This story takes place in 1996 as Sam and Diane are about to celebrate their 3rd anniversary.


**The Malones- Sam and Diane's Anniversary**

**1996**

** Sifting through his mail, Sam noticed a letter from John Cunningham, a childhood friend's father. He opened the letter and found a short note with two tickets enclosed. The note read, "**_**Sam, Mickey is performing in a play in Boston at the end of July. We hope you can use these tickets to go and see him, he'd love to see you".**_** Sam thought to himself, perfect, it's our 3****rd**** wedding anniversary at the end of July so we'll make an entire night of it; dinner, theater, and luxurious hotel. Diane will love it.**

** On the morning of their anniversary, Sam had a card that he placed on the breakfast table next to a bouquet of flowers he had cut from his garden. Inside the card was written;**

_** My Love,**_

_** Put on your best evening gown tonight, pack an overnight bag with a sexy negligee and plan for an evening I guarantee you won't forget. I'll bring the carriage at 5. I love you.**_

_** Sam**_

** Diane opened the card while they were having breakfast and just smiled at him. He is deep down a romantic.**

"**Does Margaret know about this? Is she willing to stay overnight with the children? One two year old can be a handful but two of them might be too difficult for her to manage overnight".**

"**Relax, I've hired one of Carla's kids to come over and help her. As IF she needed any help".**

"**It's a date then, Mr. Malone", Diane said as she smiled.**

** Diane started getting ready for her anniversary date. She was in the bedroom with Maura, their two year old daughter who always assisted her when she got "dressed up". Even when Maura was a tiny baby, Diane took her with her into the bedroom while she dressed. Diane would hold up a dress and coo to Maura, "Should Mommy choose this today?" and Maura would smile. Today Maura was dressing up too. She had practically every dress and pair of shoes out of the closet and was attempting to put them on. Diane was always tender with her children, had the utmost patience and allowed them this type of creativity. Sam marveled at it.**

** After cleaning up the bedroom, dabbing her ears and Maura's with perfume, Diane and Maura walked downstairs. Diane ravishing in a black silk dress that exposed her long, thin legs and Maura in a sequined pastel pink, twelve sizes to big dress that Diane had managed to shorten by tying a bright blue scarf around the waist and tucking in the excess fabric.**

"**The two beautiful loves of my life", said Sam, "And you both smell so nice. Are you ready to go to the theater Maura", as he winked at Diane.**

** After kissing the children and thanking Margaret for her help, Sam and Diane left the house for their anniversary date.**

**It was a short walk to the theater from the hotel where they were spending the night so they decided to have dinner at the hotel and then walk over to the Shubert Theater. The play was wonderful, a spoof on couples in the 1990's, and very funny. Sam thought his friend Mike had played his role brilliantly. He was funny and witty- just like he was as a kid. Mike had arranged for Diane and Sam to join him backstage after the play. **

**As they were leaving, Diane asked Mike, whom she liked very much, if he could join them at the hotel bar for a nightcap. He happily agreed and told them he'd be there in twenty minutes, enough time to get his make-up off. Mike arrived at the hotel bar and found Diane and Sam in the bar, talking and laughing together. **

"**You are a lucky man Sam to have found such a beautiful, classy woman. And, Diane, you have found one in a million, I assure you of that. Sam, where's your drink? Can I buy you one?" **

"**No, no thanks Mike, I don't drink. I gave it up many years ago".**

"**Good for you Sam and wise decision. Diane, I suppose you know all about Sam's childhood? I'm sure he's told you about his father".**

** Sam stomach muscles tightened and he felt sick. He never talked about his childhood to anyone, including Diane. He tried to change the subject but Mike continued, assuming that Diane knew about it.**

"**Sam, old buddy, my dad used to say you had more guts than any ten grown men he knew. Remember the time Sam, when he broke your collarbone. My dad reported that one to the police but they took your parents' word over yours and things got worse for you. My dad was furious".**

"**Let's just change the subject Mike. I've spent the last thirty years trying to forget it. Let's let sleeping dogs lie", Sam replied.**

** The evening wore on with Mike regaling Diane with stories of Sam's alcoholic abusive father; Mike's own father's concerns about Sam; Sam's spending time with Mike's family to help him through it; Sam's fortunate and eventual ability to leave his home town when he was drafted for minor league baseball. The more Mike talked, the quieter Sam became and the sicker he began to feel. When it was time to leave, Mike stood up and gave Sam a bear hug and they promised to stay in touch. Mike gave Diane the same type of bear hug and asked her to send pictures of the kids to his parents. Mike's parents thought the world of Sam and knowing he was happy would thrill them.**

** After Mike left, Diane simply put her hand on top of Sam's hand and said, "Let's get the check". **

** As they walked to the hotel room, Diane silently told herself, "Don't pressure, don't ask questions, don't say anything, let him decide when and where and what he wants to say". And for once in her life she kept quiet. Sam seemed crestfallen.**

** "Diane I just can't…", and he stopped talking.**

** ""Sam, it's okay, you can tell me as much or as little as you want, when you want, if you want".**

**They arrived at the hotel room and entered. Diane put her arms around Sam and said, "Let's get some sleep". They climbed into bed and Diane said, "Tonight I want to hold you". They slipped into bed with Sam's back to her and her arms around his waist hugging him tightly. Oh how she loved and admired and now understood her husband.**

** What Sam was not telling her was that he still had dreams about his father and his childhood, nightmares actually. Sam's father had abused his family; Sam's mother, Sam, and his brother. Sam took the brunt of the abuse because he was willing to stand up for the other two. Derek was the smart one and kept his face in a book and out of his father's way.**

** Sam couldn't make himself sleep with Diane holding **_**him**_**, he had always been the "protector", so he eased out of the embrace and turned to her. **

"**Diane, I want to tell you about my father but in bits and pieces, not all at once, it's too hard for me. One of the reasons I get so upset with people when I suspect them of pitying me is that I spent my childhood having people give me pitying glances. I look at my life now and sometimes feel that I don't deserve it. My father told me that I was a loser I'd never amount to anything, and a part of me still believes him". **

** Diane looked at Sam and said nothing for about thirty seconds then she put her arms around him and said;**

"**Sam Malone, novels are written about people like you. People who are heroes, people who have overcome terrible events in their lives and not only survived but were geniuses at carving out better lives than they ever thought possible. They are people who give openly to others like you do. People like you make everyone around them better people because of it. You are that hero Sam, don't ever doubt yourself". **

** Sam smiled at her, kissed her and said thank you for not offering pity but love. "Now, let's celebrate our anniversary the way an anniversary should be celebrated".**

**Their love making that night was in perfect harmony- each willing to give pleasure over to the other. They fell asleep in each other's arms after they made love.**

**Sometime that night, Diane woke up to soft moans coming from Sam, moans she had heard him make before tonight but now knew why he was moaning. She turned toward him and ran her fingers around the rim of his face, stroking his whole face, forehead and chin with her hands gently until the moaning stopped. She whispered softly, **_**I love you Sam Malone.**_

**Sam reached up with closed eyes, took her hands and kissed them holding them close to his face and smiled.**


End file.
